Thursday, June 18, 2009

Straws: Obama is blocking access to the names of those visiting the White House, funding for two unnecessary wars continues, along with bailouts for Wall Street. Torture continues while damning pictures are suppressed, investigation of war criminals is blocked, single-payer isn't mentioned... this is where I came in.Another Elephant Wanders In: While hyperinflation may lurk a couple of years down the road, that last curve was the largest drop in the CPI in 60 years - down 1.8%.Pay Twice As Much! An $8,000 gift to first-time buyers wasn't working, so now there's a proposal to give anyone and everyone $15,000 to buy a house. The money will come from contributions made by those who already own their own house, happily rent or are already drowning in overpayments on a house that's already lost 27% of its value. Not really 'contributions' but taxes to force you to buy your neighbor a house. Congratulations.Quantative Easing: The Fed was in the market today, propping up the price of Treasuries, trying to hold down the interest rates for mortgages. It's known as printing money.Don't Let the Door: In February, Kyrgyzstan told the US it had 6 months to close up shop at Manas airbase. Uncle Sam chuckled and shook the purse. Russia upped the ante to $2.15 billion in aid and the US has started packing up in order to be gone by mid-August. The base was used as a transit point for thousands of US troops and hundreds of tons of cargo monthly to and from Afghanistan. Ultimate Sales: Eddie Bauer is having two 'ultimate' sales - one for the leftover summer stuff, the other of the bankrupt company. Half-off.Hand Wash: The Mortgage Bankers Association reports that mortgage applications fell 15.8% to its lowest level since last November as long term interest rates trend higher. This is preliminary data; positive spin will be applied later by the Realtors.The End Is Near: Mexico's Cantarell oil field, which produced over 2 mbd in 2004, is now producing 700,000 barrels a day. The yield is falling at an annualized rate of 35%. Wing-nut Alert: This fall, under the pretense of inoculating schoolchildren against the mythical swine flu, the government will be putting mind control chemicals into the vital fluids of our young. Or, because kids seem to be more likely to die from swine flu than older folks, maybe the government is trying to help the people. Either way, suspicions are in order. Definition: Terrorism, low-level: Public assemblies that protest governmental actions, or teach others how to peaceably assemble to petition the government for the redress of wrongs. The 7% Solution: Over 80% of terror groups vanquished in the last 40 years fell to political and policing actions. Less than 7% were resolved by the use of military force. Back in 1963 Pentagon offices sprouted signs reading 'Vietnam - it's the only war we've got.' The same Praetorians are still seeking perpetual employment.Smoking Gun: Scientists have found that - after all the complex interactions between emissions, carbon sinks, atmospheric concentrations and so on - each emission of CO2 results in the same global temperature increase, regardless of when or over what period of time the emission occurs. One ton of CO2 leads to 0.0000000000015ºC of global temperature increase. Simple math, they say, indicates we can emit a half trillion more tons of CO2. Then we have to stop, pretty much forever.The Forty Theses: Stoneleigh's stance - the future's not what it used to be.Nose/Face: Central European countries are being urged to reject Russian natural gas rather than put subject themselves to Russian blackmail over energy supplies. Voluntarily freeze so the Russians can threaten you with the possibility of freezing. Impartial Advice: The CIA is advising the White House to suppress information about who they tortured, how, when and where. They claim that if the public knew what they were up to, they couldn't be up to it any more.Codeword Material: Seems NSA's PINWHALE (a relative of the ECHELON, MANICORE, NARUS, KLEIN and TICE eavesdropping programs) has been intercepting a lot more Americans' telephone calls, emails and internet usage than they've had warrants for. These actions have been characterized as being too flagrant to be accidental. So? The innocent have nothing to fear...

Our Motto

Keep fightin' for freedom and justice, beloveds, but don't you forget to have fun doin' it. Lord, let your laughter ring forth. Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce. And when you get through kickin' ass and celebratin' the sheer joy of a good fight, be sure to tell those who come after how much fun it was.